How to Find Your Best Position for Meditation
Sitting is a part of daily life; you may find yourself in front of your laptop, or on the sofa watching television or reading a book. Sitting steadily for a considerable period is easier if we are preoccupied with distractions. For example, we can go to the cinema and watch a movie or sit at a luncheon with friends with little or no bodily discomfort. However, when we have to turn inward during meditation, sitting can be quite uncomfortable and we may struggle to find steadiness. We become discouraged. What if we could uncover the means allowing us to progress in our meditation practice using the right support and understanding how the body works in a sitting position. Read on further to discover what is required for a comfortable steady seat and how you can achieve it during your meditation practice!
Why the Right Position for Meditation Matters?
This is such an important question for practitioners as we somehow believe that being cross-legged, or in Lotus Pose is the right position for meditation. We see typical images of Sages from India in Lotus Pose on the floor or on social media of yogis in a cross-legged position with no props looking serene.
The truth is, that we need to find a functional position during meditation. After all, the position we choose can make or break our meditation practice. Ideally, a sitting position will help us switch off from external stimuli and turn our attention inward during our meditation practice. To help us make an informed decision, we need to have some idea of what is going on anatomically so that we can learn about the natural alignment of the body and how to safely achieve it. This also helps us resolve undue stress and strain on the spine, knees, and muscles. We can then maintain a comfortable and steady seat for a longer period of time.
Maintaining the Integrity of the Spine in Meditation
It is easier to find natural alignment whilst standing because we have spent many years walking. Over time we have learned to use oppositional force; to press into the ground with the feet and reach the crown upwards. Walking has become automatic; in that, we can do it without even really thinking about it.